Locking means for carton covers

ABSTRACT

This disclosure is directed to novel-locking means for cartons of the type having a pair of covers joined to a carton body along generally parallel disposed hinge lines. The covers include front panels positioned in generally contiguous relationship in the closed position thereof, and the locking means are in the form of a male element protruding outwardly from one of the front panels and being interlockingly received within female recess means on the other of the front panels.

United States Patent Appl. No.

Fred C. Newman La Grange Park, Ill.

Feb. 5, 1968 Mar. 9, 1971 Continental Can Company, Inc. New York, N .Y.

Inventor Filed Patented Assignee LOCKING MEANS FOR CARTON COVERS 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 229/45, 229/2.5 Int. Cl B65d 45/00 Field of Search 229/2.5, 29 (M), 44, 45

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,093,280 9/1937 Koppelman 229/29(M) 2,423,756 7/1947 Chaplin 229/29(M)X 2,560,847 7/1951 Chaplin 229/29(M)X 3,289,911 12/1966 Boyd et al.. 229/2.5 3,307,765 3/1967 Trimble 229/2.5 3,362,606 l/1968 Trimble 229/2.5

Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhe ad Attorney-Diner, Brown, Ramik & Holt ABSTRACT: This disclosure is directed to novel-locking means for cartons of the type having a pair of covers joined to a carton body along generally parallel disposed hinge lines. The covers include front panels positioned in generally contiguous relationship in the closed position thereof, and the locking means are in the form of a male element protruding outwardly from one 'of the front panels and being interlockingly received within female recess means on the other of the front panels.

PATENTEDHAR 9mm 1 3.568.915

5O INVENTOR ##Q FRED c. NELUMAN Z GVC Z M% I ATTORNEYS LOCKING MEANS FOR CARTON COVERS A primary object of this invention is to provide a novel interlocking or latching means for plastic or pulp egg cartons or the like, the cartons being of the type formed by a body having covers joined thereto along generally parallel hinge lines, the interlocking means for the covers being a male element protruding outwardly from one of the front panels and being interlockingly received within female recess means of the other of the front panels, and the female recess means being in the form of an aperture or an indentation contoured to the configuration of the male element.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel carton of the type aforesaid wherein the body includes a plurality of upwardly opening slits disposed along a longitudinal centerline of the body, the front panels are partially received in the slits, and the interlocking means are positioned between the slits to prevent interference between the slits and the inter locking means during the movement of the covers to the closed positions thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel carton of the type heretofore set forth wherein the male element is defined by a front wall, a pair of sidewalls and an upper shoulder bridging the front and sidewalls, the sidewalls are disposed in upwardly diverging or converging relationship in the closed position of the covers, and the front wall is disposed in upwardly and outwardly inclined relationship in the closed position whereupon the male element and the female recess means are tightly interlockingly secured to each other in the closed position of the covers.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a carton constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a pair of covers carrying cooperable means for maintaining the covers in releasably interlocked relationship in the closed position of the covers relative to the carton body;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of FIG. I with both covers closed, and illustrates a male element protruding outwardly from one of the front panels of one cover and being interlockingly received within female recess means of another of the front panels of the other cover;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and more clearly illustrates the interlocking relationship between the male element and the female recess means; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along a line corresponding to the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and illustrates another embodiment of a male element of the invention interlockingly received within a female recess.

A carton constructed in accordance with this invention is fully illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawing, and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The carton it) is preferably constructed from plastic material, such as polyethylene, by a conventional vacuum forming operation, but the carton It) may be formed of a conventional paper pulp construction. The carton includes a carton body 11 formed by a pair of end walls 12, 13, a pair of sidewalls 114, I5 and a longitudinal partition panel 16 disposed generally along the longitudinal centerline of the body 11. A plurality of trans verse partitions (unnumbered) cooperate with the longitudinal partition 16 and the side and end walls to form a plurality of article receiving pockets 17. A plurality of protrusions 18, 19 and 20 are disposed along the longitudinal centerline, and each is provided with upwardly opening slits 22 for receiving portions of a pair of covers 23, 24.

The covers 23, 24 are joined to the carton body 11 along respective fold lines 25, 26. Each of the covers 23, 24 includes end panels 28, 30, a side panel 31, a top panel 32 and a front panel 33. In the closed position of the covers 23, 24 (FIG. 2) the covers completely overlie the carton body 11 and articles (not shown) housed within the pockets I7. I

The covers 23, 24 are provided with identical cooperative interlocking means 34, 35 and 36, 37. The following description of the interlocking means 34, 35 will be sufficient for a complete understanding of the invention.

The interlocking means 34, 35 are normally disposed between adjacent pairs of the slits 22, 22, as is readily apparent in FIG. 1 of the drawing. This positioning of the interlocking means 34, 35 facilitates the insertion of the front panels 33, 33 of the covers 23, 24 into the slits 22 without interference from the interlocking means 34, 35 and 36, 37.

The portion 34 of the interlocking means 34, 35 is a generally rectangular-shaped aperture or recess means which receives the portion 35 in the manner readily apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing. In lieu of the formation of the aperture 34 the material of the front panel 33 of the cover 23 need not be removed and can be simply depressed inwardly to.

form an indentation or recess which corresponds in configuration to the overall exterior shape of the interlocking portion 35.

The interlocking portion 35 of the interlocking means 34, 35 is a male element protruding outwardly from the front panel 33 of the cover 24. The male element 35 includes a pair of upwardly converging sidewalls 40, 41, an upwardly and outwardly directed front wall 42 and an upwardly facing shoulder 43 which fixedly interlockingly engages a terminal edge (unnumbered) of the associated aperture 34, in the manner clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The interlocking means 34, 35 in conjunction with the similar interlocking means 36, 37 thereby forms an effective latched relationship between the covers 23, 24 in the closed position thereof (FIG. 2).

In further accordance with this invention another carton (not shown) is provided which is identical to the carton l0 except for the construction of a male element 45 (FIG. 4) of interlocking means 45, 46. The portion 46 of the interlocking means 45, 46 is simply an aperture or similar equivalent recess means formed in a front panel 47 of a cover 48 corresponding to the cover 23 of the carton 10. The male element 45 protrudes outwardly from a front panel 50 of a cover 51 which corresponds to the cover 24 of the carton 10. However, as opposed to the configuration of the male elements 35, 37 the male element 45 includes a pair of sidewalls 52, 53 which diverge in an upward direction in the closed position of the covers 48, 50, as is readily apparent from FIG. 4 of the drawing. A front wall 54 is directed upwardly and outwardly identically to the front wall 42 while an upper shoulder 55 similarly interlockingly engages an uppermost free edge (unnumbered) of the aperture 46. From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provisions have been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is again directed to the fact that additional variations may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Iclaim:

l. A carton comprising a body, a pair of covers joined by hinge lines to said body, each cover being defined in part by a rear panel and a front panel, said front panels being disposed in contiguous relationship along a center line of said body in the closed position of said covers, said front panels including means for maintaining said covers in interlocked relationship in the closed position thereof, said interlocking means being a male element protruding forwardly from the front face of one of said front panels and being interlockingly received within female recess means formed in the other of said front panels, whereby said interlocking means is concealed in the closed position thereof, said body including a plurality of upwardly opening slits disposed along a longitudinal centerline of said body, and said front panels being partially received in said slits.

2. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said female recess means is an aperture in said other front panel.

3. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said male element includes a locking shoulder facing upwardly toward top panels of said covers in the closed position thereof.

4. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said male element includes a front wall disposed in upwardly and outwardly inclined relationship to said one front panel in the closed position thereof.

5. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said male element is defined by a front wall, a pair of sidewalls and an upper shoulder bridging said front and sidewalls, and said sidewalls are disposed in upwardly diverging relationship in the closed position of said covers.

5. The carton as defined in claim 5 wherein said front wall is disposed in upwardly and outwardly inclined relationship to said one front panel in the closed position thereof.

7. The carton as defined in claim 8 wherein said front wall is disposed in upwardly and outwardly inclined relationship to said one front panel in the closed position thereof.

8 A carton comprising a body, a pair of covers joined by hinge lines to said body, each cover being defined in part by a rear panel and a front panel, said front panels being disposed in contiguous relationship along a centerline of said body in the closed position of said covers, said front panels including means for maintaining said covers in interlocked relationship in the closed position thereof, said interlocking means being a male element protruding outwardly from one of said front panels and being interlockingly received within female recess means of the other .of said front panels, said body including a plurality of upwardly opening slits disposed along a longitudinal centerline of said body, and said front panels being partially received in said slits, said male element being defined by a front wall, a pair of sidewalls and an upper shoulder bridging said front and sidewalls, and said sidewalls being disposed in upwardly converging relationship in the closed position of said covers.

9. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said interlocking means are positioned between said slits to prevent interference between said slits and said interlocking means during the movement of said covers to the closed positions thereof. 

1. A carton comprising a body, a pair of covers joined by hinge lines to said body, each cover being defined in part by a rear panel and a front panel, said front panels being disposed in contiguous relationship along a center line of said body in the closed position of said covers, said front panels including means for maintaining said covers in interlocked relationship in the closed position thereof, said interlocking means being a male element protruding forwardly from the front face of one of said front panels and being interlockingly received within female recess means formed in the other of said front panels, whereby said interlocking means is concealed in the closed position thereof, said body including a plurality of upwardly opening slits disposed along a longitudinal centerline of said body, and said front panels being partially received in said slits.
 2. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said female recess means is an aperture in said other front panel.
 3. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said male element includes a locking shoulder facing upwardly toward top panels of said covers in the closed position thereof.
 4. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said male element includes a front wall disposed in upwardly and outwardly inclined relationship to said one front panel in the closed position thereof.
 5. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said male element is defined by a front wall, a pair of sidewalls and an upper shoulder bridging said front and sidewalls, and said sidewalls are disposed in upwardly diverging relationship in the closed position of said covers.
 6. The carton as defined in claim 5 wherein said front wall is disposed in upwardly and outwardly inclined relationship to said one front panel in the closed position thereof.
 7. The carton as defined in claim 8 wherein said front wall is disposed in upwardly and outwardly inclined relationship to said one front panel in the closed position thereof. 8 A carton comprising a body, a pair of covers joined by hinge lines to said body, each cover being defined in part by a rear panel and a front panel, said front panels being disposed in contiguous relationship along a centerline of said body in the closed position of said covers, said front panels including means for maintaining said covers in interlocked relationship in the closed position thereof, said interlocking means being a male element protruding outwardly from one of said front panels and being interlockingly received within female recess means of the other of said front panels, said body including a plurality of upwardly opening slits disposed along a longitudinal centerline of said body, and said front panels being partially received in said slits, said male element being defined by a front wall, a pair of sidewalls and an upper shoulder bridging said front and sidewalls, and said sidewalls being disposed in upwardly converging relationship in the closed position of said covers.
 9. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said interlocking means are positioned between said slits to prevent interference between said slits and said interlocking means during the movement of said covers to the closed positions thereof. 